Mexas Ranger - Tequila Barrel Aged
Mikkeller ApS

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From:
Mikkeller ApS
 
Denmark
Style:
Herb and Spice Beer
ABV:
6.6%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 10.05%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
25
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 25, 2014
Added:
Apr 09, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Rated: 3.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jzlyo from Iowa

May 01, 2014
Photo of dcmchew
Reviewed by dcmchew from Romania

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tons of stuff thrown in this one, should be interesting.
Pours pitch black into a tulip, small dark brown hues, brown one finger head. Decent retention, but a thin film of foam remains, really sticky.
Incredibly great smell: milky chocolate, agave/tequila, sweet coffee, chili peppers, mild smoked wood, dry fig, dark bread and sweet spices. Sweet and rich.
Taste starts with the barrel characteristic, with tequila alcohol, agave and dry oak barrel. Roasted malts follow, almost burnt, with earthy cocoa powder and roast ground coffee. A subtle sweetness from the horchata syrup, also a tiny bit of sweet nuts, mixed with a sour zestiness, not just citrusy but also from a dark fruit component (red cherry plums?). Veggie-stew chilies in the middle, getting warmer towards the finish, but slightly pinching, not really that "caliente", which bodes well. Alcohol remains warm. Some hops in the finish, with green and citrusy notes.
Medium carbonation, smooth body, with a complex aftertaste of dark chocolate, American hops, dark fruit and dry spirit alcohol. Not sure what the avocado leaves did here, but the whole mix was well thought.
For me it means a very lot to create such a tasty brew with so many weird ingredients, not only just for the hype. A great wacky Mikkeller brew.
Apr 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by afsdan from Colorado

Mar 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by CaptainNomihodai from Illinois

Jan 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Doomfag from England

Dec 15, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by blkcld from New Jersey

Aug 31, 2013
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.67/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Another one thanks to rudzud.

Similar to the original, again dark colored creamy head, small though, same lacing nice legs, pitch black, but the head is much less so knocked down just a bit.

A pepper aroma and green plant to start, the earthy spicy hops, light tequila booze aroma, light vanilla barrel, but big woody aroma, little boozy, some dark choc but less than original, don't get the black bean in it, light roast. Also not as good as the original, the better aromas were muted a bit by the tequila.

Taste creamy, weird light medicinal phenol, tequila, lots if woody tannic esters, barrel flavours. Then earthy spicy hops, slight souring infection like, little plastic flavor, more dark choc but much lighter than original, the vegetal is gone but probably turned into that plastic phenol, light creamy almond milk. Finish is sticky semi sweet, creamy, bitter earthy hops, bit of dark choc.

Mouth is med to fuller bod, decent carb.

Overall meh, not as good as the original. The tequila barrel added very little tequila and for what it did add was also some off flavors I think, it also muted the good characteristics too much, so not a big winner IMO.
Aug 22, 2013
Photo of rudzud
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Shared with JLindros and Duffy.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark brown almost black hue with a nice mocha head that leaves a creamy blanket and sticky lacing. Not add much legs and leave retention as the original.

S - Aromas of chili, cocoa, nice spice notes, gentle barrel and oak nuts, faint agave. Very pleasant.

T - Taste is much sweeter, agave, lots more pepper, chocolate galore, weird beam notes, not much vegetation, Not quite as bitter.

M - Mouthfeel is nice and lightly creamy, bit sweeter.

O - Overall I enjoyed this beer, but not sure if I'd was better than the base. Still, nice beer.
Aug 21, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by JoshuaWagy from Ohio

Aug 20, 2013
Photo of Brenden
Reviewed by Brenden from Ohio

4.04/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This beer is thick and black, as much each as many big stouts. The head that grows is very dark brown, tight, and well sustained, sitting around very densely as a heavy crown of a finger's height or so and leaving spotty but plentiful strong and thick lace.
Count on Mikkeler. This is just such an interesting and unique beer, almost bizzare but ultimately better than just weird. The nose is rich and almost creamy, while the heat of the tequila makes itself known along with pretty big dry woods. There's a little bit of additional, somewhat more vegetal heat, but I couldn't say whether the vegetal note was a result of the meat and skin of the pepper, the avocado leaf (possibly the most unusual addition), or both.
The flavor seems to focus on the spirit, the wood, and the roasty/bittersweet notes of the base beer's malts. I like it, and it's worth a shot just to confuse your palate a bit.
The body is full with a thick feel, plenty robust, but evened out by the spirit. It's also interestingly crisp and, while smooth, isn't what I expect.
Aug 19, 2013
Photo of lacqueredmouse
Reviewed by lacqueredmouse from Australia

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
375ml green thick-walled gueuze bottle purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.

Pours a deep, thick black colour, with an incredibly dark head of melted chocolate brown. Head stays pretty dense with bubbles, but becomes filmy after a while. Lacing is superb, and the body is remarkably thick for its weight. Carbonation is fine. Overall, it's an exceptionally good looking brew.

Nose is also exceptional. Dark and deep, laced with spice and wood. Tantalising chilli aromas come through, along with chocolate, fresh-roasted whole bean coffee and the sharp piquancy of tequila. Like chocolate molé in a glass.

Taste is also good, but certainly less impressive than the nose. Here, there's a decided lack of sweetness and body, and a decided surplus of roast character. Indeed, to get the colour so high, there had to be. Here, the delicate spices are trampled by the charred characters, and the sweeter chocolate darkness is sidelined. Instead, it feels quite dry and black for most of it's length, completing with a rather ashy tone on the finish.

Feel is smooth but crispened by the roast character, which almost seems to suck moisture out of my mouth.

Overall, I think this could be a lot better. A bit more body and sweetness could counterbalance the char on the palate, and allow the spice and delicate smoke characters to have a bit more influence. As it is, it's just a bit too much in one direction, when the look and the aroma promised so much more.
Aug 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Kyroqz from Oregon

Aug 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by IpeeA from Missouri

Jun 30, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by Rickythejeweler from Maryland

Jun 23, 2013
Photo of DocJ007
Reviewed by DocJ007 from Texas

4.49/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
11.2oz bottle poured into a Troeg's snifter.

A - Very dark almost black appearance with 1/2 finger of tan foam. Mild lacing was noted.

S - Pleasant aromas of roasted malts, coconut, banana, oak, and dried chilies that made for a inviting treat.

T - Yum! Complex and amazingly refreshing. Get lots of coconut, almond, sweet cocoa, vanilla, and oak with minimal notes of chilies and tequila (although they can be appreciated as the beer warms). Despite being made with chilies, this beer has almost no heat and in fact has a mild mouth cooling effect that I have only experienced once prior (Akevitt Porter by HaandBryggeiriet). It's hard to describe but think the sensation you get from menthol drops and divide the intensity by 20.

M - Medium to full body with a creamy mouth coating feel that I attribute to the almond milk. No obvious booze. Basically this 6% beer has the mouthfeel of a big CCB stout and it's awesome.

O - This was a fantastic beer that I wish was more readily available. Compared to the non-barrel aged version, I'd say this one has a bit more complexity working for it and the chilies faded away so it tastes sweeter and more refreshing. They are both worth trying!
Jun 19, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by pisano from Massachusetts

Jun 17, 2013
Photo of CowsandBeer
Reviewed by CowsandBeer from Nebraska

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Purchased at the Madison Ave, Hyvee in Council Bluffs, Iowa. From the label "Ale brewed with spices, almond milk, cocoa, chilies, black beans, avocado leaves and aged in tequila barrels." Sounds like a crazy experiment. My expectations for this are pretty low. Poured from a green 12.7 oz green bottle into a pint glass. 6.6% ABV.

Look: Pours to about a one finger head. Mocha colored head with a few bubbles. Very still. Almost like a shot of espresso with lots of crema. Body is black with no highlights. Looks like a porter/stout.

Smell: Could smell it when I first opened the bottle. Sweet tequila esters, dried peppers, smokiness, and oak. A sweet roastiness at the back, almost like coffee and a bit of sweetness. Hints of black beans hiding behind the tequila barrel. Actually smells inviting.

Taste: Dry tequila barrel, light chili spiciness, a kind of vegetable sourness, some sweet almond milk, and finishes with a long barrel smokiness. Not hot at all.

Mouthfeel: Dry mouthfeel. The carbonation is low on this and that really helps with with keeping it nice and creamy. Sticks to your teeth.

Overall: Very impressed with this beer. I expected a boozy mess and instead I got complex flavors. I think the important thing to stress is that while you can taste the tequila it's not hot and offensive. It's more like sticking your head in an empty Añejo tequila barrel that years ago held bourbon. Pick one up for your next tasting, and remember to bring the jalapeños curtidos.
Jun 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by bostonryan from Massachusetts

Jun 09, 2013
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.94/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Picked this up at Binny's - Lakeview. Served in a pint glass at Edward's poker party and Mexican food night.

A - Dark tan foam settles to a solid cap, thick collar, and splotchy lacing. Very dark brown body that is opaque throughout.

S - An interesting mixture of roasted malts, semisweet chocolate, oak, smokey tequila, some mild vegetal chile, and perhaps even a vague black bean note. It's not over-spiced, which I appreciate, but I also couldn't perceive some of the listed adjuncts. There's a yeasty dark bread flavor in the periphery that supports all the various flavors, and things integrate surprisingly well.

T - The taste is a bit sweeter, with perhaps some of the almond milk and cocoa and less of the chiles and tequila barrel. There's still some mild oak, roast, and spirit, but they mostly show up amid the charred and moderately bitter finish. Some lingering chile heat persists through the finish, but there's not much overt chile flavor.

M - Smooth medium body, very creamy, with pleasant carbonation, and some moderate tannic character. No obvious alcohol, and mild chile spiciness.

D - This sounded like a crime against beer, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. I don't think I'd ante up the purchase price again, but I wouldn't turn this down if offered either. The Mexas/Texas series of beers continues to be one of the high points of Mikkeller's lineup. Worth checking out if you're adventurous and like the listed adjuncts and/or tequila.
Jun 07, 2013
Mexas Ranger - Tequila Barrel Aged from Mikkeller ApS
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 25 ratings